The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, is set to meet President Muhammadu Buhari, as part of its continued parley with stakeholders; ahead of the 2019 elections.
CAN National President, Samson Supo Ayokunle who dropped this hint in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state capital, yesterday, said the Christian body would continue to pray for peaceful, free, fair and credible elections.
Ayokunle, who is also the national president of the Nigerian Baptist Conference disclosed that CAN is worried about the desperation of politicians, as witnessed in intra-party elections.
He said there are palpable fears among Nigerians that politicians, because of their ambitions, are ready to set the country on fire.
Ayokunle recalled similar fears were expressed before the March 28 2015 election but former President Goodluck Jonathan doused the tension and prayed that God should give Buhari the audacity and courage to ensure conduct of hitch-free, 2019 elections in Nigeria.
He also disclosed that to ensure credible election, CAN is training observers who would be stationed at various polling units and provide updates to the national headquarters on election day.
“We are praying very seriously that God would rule over the affairs of Nigeria in 2019 elections.
“We are also having parleys with those in government, who can make things happen because Nigerians have put them in place to maintain peace and order and ensure the forthcoming 2019 elections is free, fair and credible.
“I am still going to have a parley with President Mohammadu Buhari, on Friday, at Aso Rock, (Abuja), to make a strong appeal to our leaders to allow the elections free, fair and credible…
“The church says no to all forms of violence and manipulations in the forthcoming election.
“In line with that, we are not only speaking, we have decided to register with INEC as election observers. We are training observers over the nation.
“We have already trained 300 people, from all the geo-political zones of the country. These 300 would train others. It is our hope that we would be able to place three observers at each polling unit, to report to the national headquarters“.
Ayokunle reiterated CAN position on killing across the country and again called on security agencies to rise up to the occasion to arrest and prosecute all those behind the killings to demonstrate that nobody is above the law.
Meanwhile, President, Church of Christ In Nations (COCIN), Reverend Dachollom Datiri has said the church would not accept electoral robbery during the 2019 general election.
He advised the Federal Government to allow the will of the masses to prevail in 2019 by ensuring free, fair and credible election.
“We call on the federal government to do everything needed to give Nigerians credible elections come 2019. We condemn the blatant broad day electoral robbery we have witnessed in some elections this year and call on politicians to embrace patroti zeal and eschew any desperate craze for positions and power.
“We task all COCIN pastors and leaders to give spiritual leadership and guidance to our teaming members in the electoral process and to eschew getting entangled into partisan politics or allow themselves to be used by desperate politicians.”
Rev. Datiri said the Church in Nigeria is under siege and that the earlier action is taken to avert it, the better for Christians in the country.
“The church in this country is under siege! Nigeria is adjuged as a country where Christians suffer persecution more than anywhere in the world.”
Rev. Datiri urged the federal government to step up efforts and ensure the release of 15-year-old Leah Sharibu, from the hands of Boko Haram and stop playing game with her life.
“Leah Sharibu is now running into eight months in captivity in the hands of Boko Haram because of her faith in Christ and government under Buhari is playing games with her life. We make bold to say that no responsible government would allow this; even for one day.”
Leah was abducted, alongside 110 others, in Dapchi, Borno State, in February. Others were released. She was not because of her faith.